The Invisible Man Returns
| runtime = 81 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = $281,743Gregory Mank, "Production Background", The Invisible Man, Bear Manor Media 2013Michael Brunas, John Brunas & Tom Weaver, Universal Horrors: The Studios Classic Films, 1931-46, McFarland, 1990 p225 | gross = $815,100 }} The Invisible Man Returns is a 1940 American horror science fiction film from Universal. It was written as a sequel to the 1933 film The Invisible Man, which was based on the novel The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells. The studio had signed a multi-picture contract with Wells, and they were hoping that this film would do as well as the first. It would be followed by the comedic The Invisible Woman later the same year. The screen play for the film was written by Lester Cole and Curt Siodmak (as Kurt Siodmak). The film director was Joe May, who had previously directed The House of the Seven Gables. (May's native language was German, and he spoke little English.) The cast of the film included Vincent Price (in his first horror film role), Cecil Kellaway, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Nan Grey, Alan Napier and John Sutton. The film ran for 81 minutes in black-and-white with mono sound and holds an 89% rating at Rotten Tomatoes. The production ran slightly over budget, costing $270,000, but it returned good box office revenues. The special effects by John P. Fulton, Bernard B. Brown and William Hedgcock received an Oscar nomination in the category Best Special Effects. In the chronology styled documentary, Ted Newson's 100 Years of Horror (1996), Price recalls that the undressing of the scarecrow scene took several hours to shoot, for only three minutes of on screen time. The transparent effect was done with black velvet covering the actor. Plot Sir Geoffrey Radcliffe (Vincent Price) is sentenced to death for the murder of his brother Michael, a crime he did not commit. Dr. Frank Griffin, the brother of the original invisible man (named John instead of Jack), injects the prisoner with an invisibility drug. As Radcliffe's execution nears, he suddenly vanishes from his cell. Detective Sampson (Cecil Kellaway) from the Scotland Yard guesses the truth while Radcliffe searches for the real murderer before the drug causes him to go insane. The Radcliffe family owns a mining operation. The recently promoted employee Willie Spears (Alan Napier) is promoted within the company, stirring Radcliffe's suspicions. After forcing Spear's car off the road, Spears is frightened into revealing that Richard Cobb (Sir Cedric Hardwicke), Radcliffe's cousin, is the murderer. After a confrontation, a chase scene ensues during which Radcliffe is struck by a bullet from Sampson. Cobb is fatally injured by falling from a coal wagon, but confesses to the murder before he dies. Now cleared of all wrongdoing, Radcliffe, dying from blood loss and exposure, makes his way to Dr. Griffin. A number of Radcliffe's employees volunteer to donate blood to Radcliffe. The transfusion succeeds, making Radcliffe visible again, allowing the doctor to operate and save his life. (Vincent Price actually only appeared in the film for one minute, and spent the remainder of the movie as a disembodied voice.) Cast * Sir Cedric Hardwicke as Richard Cobb * Vincent Price as Sir Geoffrey Radcliffe / The Invisible Man * Nan Grey as Helen Manson * John Sutton as Dr. Frank Griffin * Cecil Kellaway as Inspector Sampson * Alan Napier as Willie Spears * Forrester Harvey as Ben Jenkins Sequel Due to its critical success, the film was followed by a comedic-sequel titled The Invisible Woman which was released later that same year. References External links * * * Category:1940 films Category:1940s horror films Category:1940s science fiction films Category:1940s sequel films Category:American black-and-white films Category:American films Category:American science fiction horror films Category:American sequel films Category:English-language films Category:Films based on The Invisible Man Category:Films directed by Joe May Category:Films set in England Category:Screenplays by Curt Siodmak Category:Universal Monsters film series Category:Universal Pictures films Category:Films scored by Frank Skinner